Biography with Comments and Photos from friends and family

Biography
Mary Jo Maroney
Born:
6/28/1963
Died:
10/11/2009
Memorialized by:
Bisch & Son Funeral Home,
Springfield, IL
Mary Jo Maroney, (Miriam Shoshanah) 46, of St. Louis,
MO, formerly of Springfield, died Sunday October 11,
2009 at Memorial Medical Center.
She was born in Springfield, June 28, 1963 the daughter
of Donald E. and F. Carolyn Bregant Maroney. Her
grandparents, her father, and two brothers, Robert
Bregant and Jeff Maroney proceeded her in death.
Mary Jo worked for GPH as a provider relations
specialist in St. Louis. She was very active in civic,
social and political organizations, including a member
of the Green Party and a political activist. She was a
member of the Central Reform Congregation in St.
Louis, MO.
Surviving are her mother, Carolyn Miller of Springfield,
her sisters, Jeannie (husband Steve) Koskey of
Springfield, Jeanette (husband Pat) Riley of Athens, IL,
and Becky (husband Chuck) Young of Loami, IL, her
brother Donald (wife Tammy) Maroney of Atlanta, GA,
and several nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.
Cremations Rites will be accorded by the Bisch
Crematory.
A memorial service will be held at 7:00 PM Thursday
October 15, 2009 at the Bisch & Son Funeral Home 505
E. Allen Springfield, IL Rabbi Susan Talve will
officiate. Inurnment will be at a later date in Roselawn
Memorial Park.
In Lieu of flowers, those that wish may direct memorial
contributions to The Sarcoma Foundation of America
9884 Main St. P.O. Box 458 Damascus, MD 20872
www.curesarcoma.org
Please visit the online Life Remembered Story at
www.bischfuneralhome.com where tributes and
condolences may be left for the family.
Guest Book
Message by Your loving friend, Lauren
I love you MJ.
Message by Karen Karabell
Dear, thoughtful, unique Mary Jo: Ever the intellectual,
always urging her friends to clarify their beliefs,
dreams, and vision. Always you will hold a special
place in my heart.
May the One who comforts console us with the
mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Message by To Mary Jo's Family
I hope this poem will help ease the pain and heartache
you are going through now; it helped me with my mom
when she went to be with God:
You were a precious gift from God above, so much
beauty, grace and love.
You touched our hearts in so many ways, your smile so
bright even on the bad days.
You heard God's whisper calling you home, you didn't
want to go and leave us alone.
You loved us so much, you held on tight, till all the
strength was gone and you could no longer fight.
He had called your name several times before, you
knew you couldn't make him wait anymore.
So you gave your hand to God and slowly drifted away,
knowing that with our love we will be together again
some day.
Mary "Scooter Jo" was an inspiration to all of us. She
was a unique, special person and didn't seem to be
afraid of anything. She could always make someone
laugh - oh what a sense of humor she had. She tried in
her own way to make the world a better place - who else
would drive from St. Louis to Springfield and back on a
scooter! She had many friends, a family that loved her,
and she will be forever missed. She may not be
physically here with us, but her wonderful memories,
quick wit and love for life will forever be with us. Keep
her memories close and know that someday, and only
God knows when, you will see her again. She is happy
and free from the pain and suffering and all the chemo
crap that she had to endure. She's in peace and
tranquility. Think how wonderful she now feels.
Message by your LeeAnnimal
My loving aunt, Mary Jo. I miss her so much already.
She could always bring a smile to my face. MJ, thank
you for blowing me kisses the last time I saw you, I will
keep them with me always. Love you always,
LeeAnnimal
Message by Mary Whitaker, friend-GHP
Mary Jo will always remain in my thoughts because of
her wonderful spirit for life! She was always the first to
volunteer to help others in need. Mary Jo, bless you for
sharing your presence in my life! My condoelences to
her family.
Message by Marta Anderson
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone in Mary Jo's
family. She will be dearly missed here at work.
Message by Co-worker at GHP
My thoughts and prayer are with the Maroney family. I
have worked with Mary Jo for several years and have
truly enjoyed knowing her. Her death is an extremely
sad thing to come to grips with. I will miss her big
smile, her fun loving ways, and her big heart.
Respectfully, G. Clark, Director of Compliance, GHP.
Message by Dan Reich, friend
A great and shocking tragedy and loss. MJ was an
energetic, warmhearted person. She will clearly be
missed by many, including me.
May her memory be a blessing and may her family find
comfort in the thoughts and prayers of others.
Message by Carl and Claire Wolff
Dear Mary Jo,
I'm so sorry that you left us at such a young age. You
are a sweet soul. Although we disagreed on some
things, we shared a love of Judaism and we accepted
and cared for each other. I will always remember our
Shabbosim together and your beautiful smile. Thank
you for being our friend.
Love,
The Wolff Pack
To Mary Jo's family,
I'm so sorry for your loss. Mary Jo was very special.
I met her at HealthLink in St. Louis where we both
worked. She would come and have dinner with our
family every so often. She was funny, passionate
idealistic, kind and loving.
We will miss her.
Carl & Claire Wolff and Family
Message by Rabbi Susan Talve
in case Rabbi Talve didn't submit this here, she sent this
to Mary Jo, of blessed memory's, CWE Minyan friends.
"I cannot imagine the world without Mary Jo. She will
continue to be one of kind. May her memory be a
blessing and guide us in her own Mary Jo way as we
walk this holy path together.
much love,
Susan" (Rabbi Susan Talve - Central Reform
Congregation, St. Louis, MO)
(submitted by Mary Jo's friend Nancy Benson_
Message by Rabbi Mordecai Miller
in case Rabbi Mordecai Miller didn't submit here, this
was his response to my sharing the sad news of Mary
Jo, of blessed memory, passing.
"Sad news indeed!
I was truly shocked. I really felt that with her
determination, her will to live and with the support and
prayers of her many friends Mary Jo would win this
battle and that we'd again enjoy the sight of her on her
scooter.
Mary Jo was a deeply principled and at the same time
"fun" person. She was a warm, good friend to all of us.
May Heaven be a happier place for her presence and
may she experience the loving Presence of HaShem.
We will draw strength in the memory of her.
HaMakom y'nachem...
Mordecai M"
- Rabbi Mordecai Miller
Congregation Brith Sholom Kneseth Israel , St. Louis,
MO
Message by Friend and former co-worker
Mary Jo was such a great inspiration on how to live life.
I miss her.
Message by Rosalla Harston children, Linda,
Ronnie, Herbie, Elaine, Charlie, Gary, Connie
and Kelly
We are so sorry for your loss, even more so to know we
did not get to know her well. I hope your mother and
the rest of her siblings can ease their pain from
remembering the good times.
Your Harston Cousins.
Message by Mary - GHP co-worker and friend
We had good and bad times at work and all good times
outside of work. I will miss my lunch buddy and all
your knowledge about many many things.
You will be missed by all.
Message by Richard and susan Burke
We wish you well on your Bardo journey. Perhaps we'll
see you next time around.
Message by MARCIA QUINN DAVIS
Goodbye mi amiga. We had so many good times
together!! I will miss you forever!!!
Message by Your loving mother
Our greeting to each other was always "hello my loving
daughter" and her reply "hello my loving mother." I will
truly miss our greetings but the loss of MaryJo is a loss
greater than you can imagine. She was unique, loving, a
little impatient at times, truthful, an understanding
person and she loved life. She is now in heaven with her
brother's Jeff & Robbie and suffers no more. One day
we will all be together once again. I love her and will
miss her very much.
Love you MaryJo,
Mom
Message by Sharon Silverstein
To the Family and Friends of Mary Jo,
Please accept my sincere condolences. I met Mary Jo
several years ago at a Passover seder hosted by my
brother and sister-in-law, Nancy and Gary Benson. I
was impressed by her spirit and passion. May her
memory be a blessing to all who knew her.
Sharon Silverstein
Message by Claudia Mink
email sent to Mary Jo, of blessed memory's, friend
Lauren:
Lauren,
I am just beside myself.
Although I had heard that Mary Jo was ill, I had no idea
to what extent and I feel deep regret that I didn't show
her my love in her time of need.
Mary Jo was such a wonderful, unique, principled,
independent woman . . . an incredible thinker. She was
always Mary Jo - no airs, heart and mind in the right
places.
I just don't know what to say except that I am so very,
very sorry that an amazing woman was taken so early.
Thank you for letting me know. My thoughts and
prayers are with everyone - and there were so many
from so many walks of life - whose lives she touched.
Love,
Claudia
Message by friends of Mary Jo's, of blessed
memory, the Bensons
To Mary Jo, of blessed memory's, family and friends: I
hope you find some solace in this poem, especially the
last couple lines. I believe Mary Jo, of blessed memory,
IS gazing down at us from a fluffy purple cloud from
which the view IS nice, and pray that, especially after
her brave battle, she is doing just fine. We'll miss you a
lot!
BIG HUG! Love,
"the Bensons" (Nancy and Gary, B.T. and H.T.)
Message by from your spacey OLD friend
Nancy Benson
Dear dear Mary Jo - YOU were the computer maven;
you wouldn't have left off the poem I mentioned in my
message to your family and friends; here it is - oops!
sigh! Uh-oh! Love, Nancy (Bet you're laughing your
Mary Jo laugh, with a big smile and your eyes all
crinkled up. BIG HUG! - B.T.)
"When somebody dies, a cloud turns into
an angel, and flies up to tell God
to put another flower on a pillow.
A bird gives the message back to
the world, and sings a silent prayer
that makes the rain cry. People disappear, but they never really go away.
The spirits up there put the sun to
bed, wake up grass, and spin the
earth in dizzy circles. Sometimes you
can see them dancing in a cloud during
the day-time, when they're supposed
to be sleeping. They paint the rainbows and also the sunsets and make
waves splash and tug at the tide.
They toss shooting stars and listen to
wishes. And when they sing windsongs, they whisper to us, don't
miss me too much. The view is nice
and I'm doing just fine.
- Ashley"
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